The Day of the Fateful Encounter
by Of-You-and-Me
Summary: Lucy smells weird. Like a guy-weird. And Natsu doesn't like it. Entirely based on episode 49 (same name as story). Most dialogue is straight from there, with a few additions of my own and internal jealousy from Natsu.


**Soooo, it's been a while. A very very long while. I recently started rewatching Fairy Tail and when I said episode 49, which if you can't tell is what this story is named after, when i had this idea. There are obviously thousands and thousands of fanfictions that also use Natsu's enhanced sense of smell as a way of him sensing not only where Lucy is but who she's been around, and if the don't know them, at least if they're a guy or girl. Just fyi, in this story Natsu doesn't really know that he's jealous or that he likes her. He just knows he doesn't like that she's hanging around 'stupid' guys. Okay well, I don't own Fairy Tail or it's characters, so go and read :) OH, also most of the dialogue is straight out of the anime, with a few additions from me.**

* * *

Natsu growled. _What was that stupid smell on her?_

He watched as Lucy tried to get Jason's attention while Erza requipped into a bunny suit. _Why did she smell so weird today?_ She smelled different. She smelled… _like a guy._

Just the thought made him wanna beat somebody up. With a growl, he stood and went over to Gray's table and destroyed it before realizing what he was doing. This… this wasn't right. He couldn't be mad over this. Suddenly self-conscious as everyone turned to look at him he yelled, "So you're the reporter?!"

"Natsu! Natsu, the Salamander! You're the one I wanted to meet most of all! Cool!"

Vaguely, he heard Lucy say, "Take it down a notch!"

This, Natsu thought, is the perfect way to blow off some steam. "Hey, hey! You're always writin' nasty things about me!"

But Jason didn't seem to notice the more aggressive than usual Natsu behavior, squaling, "Yes!"

"Like about the stuff I destroyed, or the stuff I destroyed, or the stuff I destroyed…" Natsu said, scrambling for an excuse to punch the unfortunate man before him.

Yet all Jason could say was, "Cool! Cool! Cool! Whoa! It's really you! This is radical, to the max!"

All Natsu could do was glare as the blonde man extended his hand, asking "Can I shake your hand?"

"Shut up!" The dragon-slayer yelled as he punched Jason, with what probably was more force than was appropriate. But it didn't help him cool off. All Natsu could still think about was that _stupid smell_.

With a last glance at the man who was calling him a "True hero! COOL!" Natsu began to walk out of the guild, leaving Happy behind to try and figure out his thoughts. Or at least that was the plan before he heard an all too familiar voice singing from the stage.

"Shooby-do-bop!"

Before he could stop himself, Natsu was running to the stage, yelling, "Shut up, Gajeel!"

This, Natsu thought, this will _definitely_ help. The two dragon-slayers went face to face over some stupid excuse Natsu gave Gajeel. Fists were flying and Natsu can't exactly say he's sorry that Jason was caught in the cross-fire. He was so busy fighting out his emotions, that he didn't even notice when Lucy left the guild.

"Ne, Mira, do you know how much Lucy's rent is?" He asked sometime later, remembering what Gray had mentioned earlier.

"70,000 jewels. Why?" Mira asked curiously, though she felt she had an idea of why.

"Just asking," Natsu hummed before walking over the guild board.

"Natsu, are you looking for a mission?" Happy asked, flying over to the pinkette.

"Aye! We need to help Lucy pay for her rent or else where are we gonna sleep?!" Natsu said with a smile. Even if she hangs around with stupid guys and smells weird, he added internally with a scowl.

"Oi! Natsu, what about this one?" Happy asked, pointing to one that would take a week, but paid 1,00,000 jewels.

"Mm, it's too long," Natsu said. "Lucy's gonna pay rent soon and she needs to already have the money, or her mean landlady is going to kick us all out!"

"What about this one? It's exactly 70,000 and it's soon! Oh, wait, we'd have to be at the client's house by tomorrow morning so we would have to take a night train… You'd get sick," Happy said thoughtfully, before turning to look elsewhere.

Natsu didn't even think about looking for anything else. He'd do anything for Luce. Including, he thought with a shudder, get on a train.

"Huh?" Happy questioned as he followed the dragon-slayer. "But Natsu-!"

"This one, Mira!" Natsu interrupted as he slammed the request paper on the bar counter. "We'll take this one!"

"But this one would require you getting on transportation," Mira commented, looking at the blushing boy.

"Yeah, well, Luce needs the money so," Natsu responded while looking away.

With a giggle, Mira said, "Right!"

"Oi, Mira! If Lucy comes around, tell her to wait for me, I'll be back!" Natsu yelled as he walked off.

"Will do!" Mira said with a wave.

* * *

The moment he stepped into the guild, Natsu had to restrain his temper. Lucy smelled weird. _Again._ In fact, she smelled even worse than before. That means she had to have been hanging around that same stupid guy from earlier, Natsu thought with a scowl. Whatever, he could easily fix that with a few hugs during the mission, and the thought made him smile.

As he approached Lucy, she was smiling and blushing. "What're you making such a freaky face for?"

"Scary," Happy agreed.

"It's the same face I always have!" Lucy yelled.

With a laugh, Natus said, "Let's go on a job!"

Happy smiled and said, "We have to get to the client's house by tomorrow morning, so we'll take a night train."

"Right now?" Lucy asked hesitantly. "I can't."

"Huh?" Natsu asked confused. "But you're always complaining you don't have any money."

Lucy looked sheepish as she said, "I can't today… because… I've got a date!"

"Oh…" Natsu said gloomily as he walked away, almost wincing at the new pain in his chest.

"Aye…" Happy said sadly.

"Hey! You don't have to be _that_ depressed!" Lucy called after them.

He faintly heard Lucy ask "What's wrong with them?" as he walked out the guild again.

Stupid guy and his stupid date and stupid Lucy for saying yes and saying no to them! They were her teammates! Her family! She should have said no to that stupid guy instead of them. Whatever, Natsu thought glumly, we'll just get the money ourselves.

"Come on, Happy. We're gonna go anyways," Natsu said with false spirits.

"Aye, sir!" Happy yelled, before hesitantly asking, "Do you really think Lucy isn't gonna show?"

With a shrug, Natsu replied, "Guess we'll find out."

* * *

"I guess Lucy really isn't coming…" Happy said sadly as he looked out the window, still waiting for her to show up.

Natsu just softly grunted, as he too continued looking out the window.

A few minutes later, Happy sympathized, "I knew she wouldn't show…"

But Natsu was too busy pouting to do anything but grunt a reply.

"And yet, here I am. Thanks for waiting!" Lucy said, standing before them with a blush and a smile.

"Lucy!" Happy said, but Natsu only stayed silent in shock.

"I thought you had a date?" Natsu asked, not totally believing she was really there.

But Lucy brushed his comment off, asking, "Anyways, what's this cheap job that's perfect for me?"

"It's 70,000 jewels, exactly your rent!" Happy proudly stated.

Natsu blushed, before asking, "Your rent is 70,000 jewels, right? This could last you three months!"

"Natsu, it'll last one month. Don't you know what 'exactly' means?" Happy scolded playfully.

"Then, what about your portions?" Lucy asked, a worried look on her face.

But Natsu just tried to ignore the growing blush that was heating up his face, and joked, "Without your house, where will we weight train?"

"Aye!"

"What's that supposed to mean?" Lucy asked, playing along, before she too, pretended the heat on her face was due to a malfunctioning air conditioning system. "Thank you."

That smile, Natsu thought, is worth the train ride.


End file.
